As dawn broke, Jonan gathered his gear and approached the waiting Starfall carriage. He noticed, to his mild surprise, that no one was there. Not a servant, not a soldier, no bustling preparations like the last time. He stood for a moment, the chill morning air brushing against his skin, feeling the quiet stretch out around him. He half-expected someone to come bustling out of the estate to bid him farewell or at least hand him a letter of instruction, but there was nothing.
Jonan wasn't much keen on traveling with a cohort this time. The last mission — the nightmare of it — lingered in the shadows of his mind, and though he felt a faint, guilty pang at the empty yard, he didn't oppose the situation. In fact, in his heart, he welcomed the silence.
